Sacrifice
by KawaiiAnimeGirls
Summary: He couldn't be dead. There had to be a way to save him, there had to. And there was. But miracles don't come for free...
1. The Price of Happiness

**Cho: A new story we wrote~! ^^**

**Chiyoko: Hey! I HELPED WRITE IT AS WELL! RIGHT, ONEE-CHAN? THIS IS MY FIRST TIME WRITING SOMETHING ON FANFICTION! I helped make it easier, right? Right? RIGHT?! XDDD**

**Cho: Of course~! ^.^ It was really fun~**

**Anyways, we wrote this story to honor our cousin MissLovelyPrincess! November 29th is her 1-year fanfiction anniversary... ^^**

**Chiyoko: Yep! We're so happy for her~ XD By the way, if you didn't read our profile, I changed my name to Chiyoko! Not Sakura. ****CHI. YO. KO! :3 Kawaii, ne?**

**Cho: Ehehe... -.-" Hope you enjoy the story~**

* * *

**Sacrifice**

* * *

_Usui leaned in close to her. "So even if you end up getting hurt really badly, you'd go and save someone regardless of their gender?"_

_"Of course." Misaki smiled slightly. "I'd even save you."_**  
**

* * *

"He's... dead."

The young girl knelt down, gently caressing the blond's cheek. Her midnight black hair fell over her eyes, obscuring them from view. But it was unable conceal to sadness she felt.

No matter how many times she'd called for him, no matter how many times she'd shaken him, he didn't answer her. He'd remained just as still as he had been. Almost as if he was..._ l__ifeless._

No... NO! If she wished for it hard enough, he'd be okay. He'd slowly open his eyes, and everything would go back to how it had been. She didn't care if their romance was forbidden. All she wanted was for him to tell her he loved her, one last time. Just one last time...

She sank to the ground, "Idiot..." She muttered bitterly. "Stupid, thoughtless idiot." But despite her words, she felt like the stupid one was her.

"I'm sorry..." She finally choked out. A glistening tear fell silently down her cheek, followed by another. She had promised him she wouldn't cry. But now...

She stared at him. He looked so peaceful, his golden bangs falling ever so perfectly over his closed eyes. Not a single flaw, just like always. But the strangest thing was that he was smiling. He didn't seem to be in pain at all... It was almost as if he was asleep. Unable to resist, she leaned closer towards his lifeless body.

The distance between them was so small, almost too small to be comfortable. Her heart was pounding, and her cheeks felt like they were on fire.

But she didn't care.

The clock was ticking. People were yelling. But to she was oblivious to everything around her. It was just the two of them in their very own universe.

As she gave a quick glance around her surroundings, she was pulled towards the ground. Too strong to be a push, yet it was too weak to be the gravity. Just then, when she turned back facing the body, the blond's face and hers were close. _Very _close. If she had moved just a centimeter more, their lips would have met. However, it was enough fool the crowd. Rows and rows of people stood up and clapped; the whole theater was filled with cheers of the audiences.

The curtain closed, proposing the end of the play.

Romeo and Juliet.

* * *

"Kaichou~" Usui pouted childishly.

"What is it _now_?" Misaki glared at him. "The play's already over. Why are you still complaining?"

He smirked. "You didn't kiss me."

"Of course I didn't kiss you! Don't be so perverted." She crossed her arms.

"Hm. Well, I just thought maybe you were too scared to..." He trailed off. "It seems so."

"A-As if!" She muttered. "I wouldn't lose to _you,_ Takumi." She stared coldly into his eyes, a smile hinting at her lips. "Even if it meant kissing you right now."

"But would you really?"

Misaki took a step forward. "Prez, what are you–" Usui started. But his sentence was cut short. She had pressed her lips against his own, one hand loosely clutching his tie. His mouth fell open in shock. But then, he grinned. _She never fails to amaze me._

The kiss only lasted for a moment. But for Usui, that was far more than enough. Misaki smirked. She was horrified by what she had just done. But she wasn't about to admit defeat. "Happy now?"

He nodded, grinning. "Happy."

* * *

Misaki yawned.

Usui glanced at her, concerned. "Are you tired?"

"Shut up," Misaki replied bitterly. "You should be looking at the road."

"It's really late," Usui answered. "It's fine if you lean on me for a while..."**  
**

Then there came a moment of silence.

Misaki sighed, finally giving in. She was too tired to argue with him anymore. Blushing lightly, she rested her head on his shoulder. "A-Are you sure this is fine? I mean I don't have to..."

"Of course," Usui replied softly. "Anything for you."

"Geez... don't say something so cheesy..." Misaki's eyes drifted close.

Usui smiled. "Get some sleep."

They drove for a while in silence. The sun was setting, enveloping the world in darkness. An explosion of crimson and gold ignited the sky.

Misaki shifted in her sleep, her eyes fluttering open. "U...sui..." She murmured quietly.

"Prez?" He questioned, his eyes wide. "I thought you were asleep..."

"I _was_..." She muttered. She blushed, remembering her dream of him. But she glared at him. "Until _someone_ woke me up."

Usui gave a tiny smile. "Ok, ok. I'm sorry."

She leaned onto his shoulder, clutching his arm lightly.

She'd never liked anyone in the past. Guys were stupid. All they ever did was cause trouble. But for some reason, Usui was different. She kind of... liked his presence.

Wait, what was she thinking? She didn't like him. He was always finding ways to annoy her.

She hated him.

So how come… how come he meant so much to her?

Ever so slightly, Misaki tightened her grip on his arm.

_I can't believe I-I actually kissed him... _Misaki felt her cheeks heat up. T_hat wasn't like me at all..._ She was glad it was dark outside. Because unfortunately, he found her expressions all too cute.

"Usui…?" She finally whispered.

"Yeah?" He chuckled, patting her gently on the head.

"About today…" Misaki trailed off, averting his glance. "I…"

She clenched her fists. She didn't want to tell him. Not now. But her feelings were like a boulder weighing down her heart. Too heavy to ignore, yet seemingly impossible to remove.

Misaki sucked in a shaky breath. "Well… I… I kind of… you know, um-"

She closed her eyes, feeling her heartbeat quicken. Her hands were shaking. It was such a simple task. Yet at the same time, it was so impossible to do.

"I-I love you, Usui." Misaki finally stuttered. "I'm sorry I never told you."

Even in the darkness, she could tell he was surprised. She closed her eyes, regret pooling up in her heart. What if he didn't like her back? What if he didn't like her at all? Anxiously, she stole a glance at the blonde. Her heart was pounding hard. Oxygen seemed to be fading away, leaving her dizzy and unsure.

Usui grinned. "Why, Ayuzawa…" He murmured, pulling her into a loose embrace. "I love you too."

Misaki's heart skipped a beat. The world seemed to freeze, his words echoing over and over again in her mind. Then slowly, she felt her face fall into a smile. It was unbelievable. She was almost afraid it was a dream. All those years, wondering how he felt. And all of it... all of it ended with such simple words.

I love you.

She felt a strange wave of emotions surge through her. What was this feeling...? It was so much more than happiness, so much more than joy. What was it called again? Love? Whatever it was, she never wanted the moment to end.

It was all so perfect.

Too perfect.

Because after all, happiness doesn't come for free.

That was when Usui saw it. The truck, skidding too quickly toward them. His eyes widened, his mouth dropping open in horror. No. No, no, NO! This couldn't be happening! He jerked his car in the other direction, pressing the gas pedal so hard it almost broke. But it was too late. The truck skidded sideways over the road, seconds away from them.

He closed his eyes. He couldn't do this. He couldn't let her die. She meant so much to him. This was all his fault. If only he'd paid more attention to the road. If only...

He gave Misaki's hand a final squeeze. A heartbroken tear fell from his eye, glistening for a second in the dim moonlight. Then he did the one thing he could. He moved in front of her.

Then everything blacked out.

* * *

**Cho: Gomennasai! ;.;**

**Chiyoko: What for? :O**

**Cho: It's really rushed. And it doesn't flow well at all… T.T**

**Chiyoko: NO WAY. I like it! XD**

**Cho: ...Yeah. *Rolls eyes sarcastically* And of course, it's NOT because you wrote like half of it.**

**Chiyoko: EHEHE… ^^" Thank you so much for reading this! XD**

**Cho: We'll continue if we get 10 reviews! ^^**


	2. Waiting

**Sacrifice**

* * *

Misaki felt her eyes flutter open. She pushed herself into an upright position. _What... happened?_

She looked around. The surroundings were unfamiliar. Strange. _W-Where am I?_

Suddenly, it all came flooding back to her. Her eyes widened. _Usui. USUI! Is he okay?_

Misaki pulled the covers aside and stood up. She winced, leaning onto the wall. Her whole body was throbbing. "Perfect," She muttered through gritted teeth. "Just perfect."

"Um…"

It was the nurse. "Miss, the doctor recommends that–"

"I don't care!" Misaki yelled.

The nurse was about to question her rudeness. That was when she saw it.

There was a glimmer in the girl's eye. A spark of franticness, a fire unquenched by words. The nurse fell silent, words failing to escape her mouth.

"Sorry," Misaki muttered. "I didn't mean to be rude. But I have to find someone. Can you help me?"

"Of course. What's his name?"

"U-Usui. Usui Takumi." Misaki closed her eyes, swallowing the lump growing in her throat. "I need to find him, it's urgent."

The nurse didn't question her words. Instead, she smiled. "He's in room 432, floor 4."

"Thank you," Misaki replied, forcing a smile on her face. "I really appreciate it."

Then she was gone.

Misaki made her way through the hallway. Her legs stung with pain, but she ignored it. A little pain was nothing.

_426… 428… 430…_

Finally, she found herself at his door. Misaki fell to her knees, exhausted. _So… tired…_ She gritted her teeth. She had to do this. Anxiously, she reached out.

_Knock._

_Knock knock._

The door swung open. There stood a doctor, holding a notebook in his hands. "I'm sorry, but visitors aren't allowed. The patient is currently in a critical state." He stated, his tone bored and businesslike.

Misaki fought back tears. "You can't! You see, w-we were in a car accident…" Her words were shaky. _Uncertain._ "I need to see him." She finally uttered. "I need to know if he's okay. Please..."

The doctor examined her under his glasses. Finally, he nodded hesitantly. "...You may see him. But if anything happens, please inform me."

Misaki smiled, nodding her thanks. She made her way into the hospital room.

There he was. He looked so peaceful, just like he had in the play. A light smile hinted at his lips, the same smile that she'd fallen in love with.

"Usui…"

Misaki reached out, taking his hand in hers. Just like she'd done so many times before. "I love you, Usui." She whispered. "Please, just open your eyes..."

She tightened her grip on his hand, feeling for a pulse.

But there was nothing.

Her heart nearly stopped. It couldn't be. He had to be alive. He had to.

"Someone… help…"

Misaki fell to the ground. The energy left in her was gone. She couldn't do this anymore. Not without him…

Life was once so beautiful. But now, all the color had faded. Now, there was only darkness.

Because dreams and reality had crossed their lines.

_The play had come true._

* * *

"...He's in a critical state."

"...His heart... It isn't functioning properly..."

"...His time cuts down... approximately 24 hours..."

Misaki opened her eyes. She could hear two voices in the distance._  
_

"...His name... Usui Takumi..."

Misaki's eyes shot open. "W-What?" She stuttered.

She heard footsteps. Moments later, the door swung open. It was one of the doctors. "Miss, how are you feeling?"

Misaki ignored the question. "Where's Usui? Is he okay?!"

The doctor hesitated. "I'm sorry, but I cannot tell you. I apologize for the inconvenience."

"Why?" Misaki demanded. "You don't understand! He was with me, and–"

"Your mental state is extremely fragile." The doctor interrupted. "If I comply, it may deeply harm you. You must understand that the situation isn't that simple."

"He risked his life for me. I need to know how he is." Misaki was unable to suppress a tremor in her voice.

The doctor lowered his glance. "I'm sorry."

"Please..." Misaki stared into the doctor's eyes, her golden orbs transfixed in his.

And at that moment, something changed. Like a mutual understanding. The memories came flooding back to him.

There was so much the doctor had tried so hard to forget. He saw himself in the girl. It had been a happy ending for him, but he knew Usui wouldn't last...

The doctor sighed. Arguing with Misaki was pointless. She couldn't escape the truth forever. "...His heart is failing. And if we do nothing, his life will end."

"I can try doing an operation on him." He continued. "But at this state, there are no promises it will work."

"W-What?" Misaki stuttered. "No. It can't be..."

The doctor closed his eyes, hesitating for a moment. Then he opened his mouth.

"He has 24 hours to live.

Misaki's heart stopped. Her eyes widened, her eyes pooling up with tears. _24 hours…_

This was all her fault. If only she hadn't distracted him. If only she'd realized how stupid she was.

A tear slid down her cheek. Then another. She hated it. She hated it all. The stupid truck. The stupid hospital.

But most of all, she hated herself.

She closed her eyes. _I... can't. I can't do this anymore._

"Please, don't blame yourself for it. There's nothing you can do." The doctor stated. But his words went unheard.

"Usui..." Misaki whispered. They were so perfect. Yet the world didn't want them to be together...

...Just like Romeo and Juliet.

She gave a pathetic laugh to herself. _How can a poor person like me… be with him? The wealthy person who had a bright future waiting for him... I should never have fallen in love with him._

"Miss? It's your choice." The doctor said finally. "If I proceed with the operation, it will limit your time with him. The chance of his survival is very small. However, if I don't operate, death is unquestionable."

Misaki hesitated for a moment. Then she nodded.

_"Do it."_

* * *

"Umm. Miss?" A nurse interrupted. "The surgery is about to begin. Please leave the room."

Misaki shook her head. "No. I can't just leave him." She struggled to restrain tears. "W-What if the operation fails? I want to be there, I want to hear his last breath..."

"..." The nurse sighed. "I guess there's no harm, as long as you don't interfere with the operation. But please understand. He's already in a critical state, success is highly unlikely."

Misaki nodded. "Thank you." She took a seat next to Usui. Then, just like he had, she took hold of his hand.

_Please... let this operation successful. I don't care about the cost. I'll do anything, anything at all._

_Because no matter what..._ _I have to finish what I started._

* * *

_"The operation was successful. __But we won't know its effect on him until he wakes up."_

Misaki hovered nervously over the hospital bed. Her hand was still in his. She was never going to leave him. Never.

She loved him too much...

Suddenly, the blonde stirred. "Usui...?" Misaki whispered. Almost afraid to believe it.

Slowly, he opened his eyes. His bright green eyes glistened into the darkness.

Misaki pulled him into a warm embrace. "U-Usui! I'm so happy you're okay..." She smiled, feeling her eyes pool up with tears of relief.

But he didn't smile back.

"U-Usui...?" Misaki trailed off, uncertain.

The blonde stared at her for a moment. There was something… different about his glance. An unfamiliar spark that she couldn't describe.

He looked down at their intertwined hands in confusion. Then he said something that made her heart stop.

Something that made her whole world come crashing down.

"Who... Who are you?"

* * *

**C****ho: Happy Holidays, everyone! ^.^**

**Chiyoko: *Chomps on a cookie* :3**

**Cho: -.-" ANYWAYS... we'd like to thank you all for the amazing reviews!**

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**Chiyoko: YOU GUYS ARE INCREDIBLE! WE'RE SO HAPPY... ;v; *Hands out free cookies to reviewers***

**Cho: We don't quite feel like continuing... so... we won't. Unless we get 25 reviews. B̶u̶t̶ ̶ ̶t̶h̶a̶t̶'̶s̶ ̶ ̶i̶m̶p̶o̶s̶s̶i̶b̶l̶e̶.̶.̶.̶ ̶ ̶s̶o̶.̶.̶.̶ ..****O̶h̶ ̶ ̶w̶e̶l̶l̶! ̶ ̶T̶h̶i̶s̶ ̶ ̶s̶t̶o̶r̶y̶ ̶ ̶s̶h̶a̶l̶l̶ ̶ ̶r̶e̶m̶a̶i̶n̶ ̶ ̶i̶n̶c̶o̶m̶p̶l̶e̶t̶e̶ ̶ ̶f̶o̶r̶e̶v̶e̶r̶.̶~ T.T**

**Ahem. Hope you liked it! ^.^**


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